Parent Comment: Semester Portfolio

What piece of writing did you like best in my portfolio and why? 

The piece of writing from your portfolio that was my favorite was "The Show Must Go On".  Not only was this well written, it was deeply introspective.  You were able to convey your own emotions in such a way that the reader could "feel" right along with you. It was very brave to share your personal feelings with such honesty and in a raw and uncut way that makes the reader really able to connect you.

What did you like about my portfolio and sharing and what would you like to see me improve on?

I like that you are able to find inspiration for your writing from your own experiences and that you are able to incorporate and illicit a wide variety of emotions as you vary your themes.  

Which of the writing traits (ideas, organization, voice, word choice) do you feel was most successful for me?

You had excellent pieces focusing on the writing trait of voice.  In addition to "The Show Must Go On", the "College Draft" essay was another example of using voice to really make that connection with the reader and draw them in to your story.  Well done!

Which of the traits of writing would you like me to improve on in the coming semester?

A couple of things to focus on in the upcoming semester might include organization and proof-reading.  I noticed times where you bring in a new thought or idea, but limit it to one sentence.  Perhaps you could more fully expand in greater detail some of those key ideas.  

Your writing shows tremendous growth over the past year.  I am so proud of all your hard work and dedication!  Cant wait for the next portfolio review!!

Semester Portfolio

Link to Fall-Winter 2015 Semester Portfolio: http://tmishadowhunterj.wix.com/semesterfolio

College Draft Final

Prompt: What movie, poem, musical composition, or novel has most influenced your life and the way you see the world. 

      

      I thrust myself into a lot of beginnings, neglecting the fact that there will be an ending. I will have to say goodbye, to moments, people, a version of myself. There is always a last to everything, and lasts scare me, the transition from present to past and realizing that you'll never feel that way again about something or someone in that moment, ever again. To relieve the fear, I draft goodbyes and last words in my head to possibly ensure the last moment has the perfect ending. "That didn’t happen, of course. Things never happen the way I imagine them". With constant practice in the "imperfect goodbyes" department I have become perfectly polished in saying the wrong things and wishing I had done something different. One day, I opened the pages to a mediocre character. Despite his mediocrity, I could empathize similar feelings to him. Feelings I solely thought I had. , “It always shocked me when I realized that I wasn’t the only person in the world who thought and felt such strange and awful things.”  Miles Halter, from "Looking For Alaska" was the slightly more obnoxious, but less depressing version of myself but more importantly, his conquest for the perfectly beautiful last words, he was tired of being predictable so he figured traveling away from his home would lead him to the "Great Perhaps". He always believed there was something more for him. There was nothing that spoke more to me than that. 
        Soon after page one became a hundred and one, and Miles had spent most of his time at Culver Creek boarding school getting hazed by Weekday Warriors, pulling pranks on the Eagle (headmaster) ditching class, to go drink and smoke with his friends, and falling for the confident hot mess that was Alaska. I noticed that my flaws and vices had come to life in these characters and every doubt I had ever had about growing up had been illuminated through these characters."When adults say, "teenagers think they are invincible" they don't know how right they are. We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken." It was true, every person that has ever used, hurt, or wronged me, I forgave and forgot. I am the person to beats myself up the most, and I have always forgiven myself. Although, Miles constantly avoided the inevitable, spending most of his time drinking and smoking instead of doing things that actually mattered, he had the courage to say everything that he believed in. Things that I buried away and ignored because I was too scared for the outcome " At some point you just have to pull off the band aid, and it hurts, but then it's over and you are relieved."
       If my life was a book, I would be Miles Halter  #2, minus to the ditching class, drinking, and smoking pot. I always tried to please and impress everyone without even wondering if I was proud of myself and I was stuck in my "own labyrinth of suffering." He was the more fearless, impressive version of me that I had always wanted to be and I felt like I could be, as long as I stayed in the four corner pages of his world. "At some point we look up and realize we are all lost in a maze." I was so dedicated and fixated on impressing people with my perfect moments, because I was too scared to just live the moment placed right in front of me. And I lost out on some really great times. "Entropy increases. Things fall apart." I thought Miles was my teacher and I was going to find the perfect words through his own, but really the things that stood out to me about Miles, I already knew about myself. We have a defining moment, that cause us to be a certain way for the rest of our lives, Alaska had hers when she was eight, others had theirs. But Miles and I, we are still waiting for that moment, sadly his became before mine. 
         I always strived so far for the perfect words to say to someone. But when the ending of Miles's story came around and his defining moment approached himself, I finally began to understand that the perfect moment doesn't come in the words, the  perfect words come in the moment. His life didn't go the way he imagined it, he lost someone very important to him and he didn't get any last or perfect words with them either. But he had something better, he had all the words in between, and in losses, no one is going to remember how you felt or what you said in the last couple seconds. You can't be scared of the endings just because they may not be perfect, "scared isn't a good excuse. Scared is just an excuse everyone has always used." And although I still poke and prod my brain for the right words, I have come to accept the fact that they can't possible account for all the right, good, great words I said without even thinking twice. Miles Halter's last words were, "Thomas Edison's last words were," It's very beautiful over there". I don't know where these is, but I hope it's beautiful." I'm no longer in search for the perfect endings, just enjoying the middle because that's all you will have and even if it's time for last words and endings. So  I'm not going to scrounge my mind for the perfect words, maybe, I don't even have them yet, but one day, it would be nice to end beautifully. 

College Essay Draft 1

Prompt: What movie, poem, musical composition, or novel has most influenced your life and the way you see the world. 

      

      I thrust myself into a lot of beginnings, neglecting the truth that there will be an ending. I will have to say goodbye, to moments, people, myself. There is always a last to everything, and lasts scare me, the transition from present to past and realizing that you'll never feel that way again about something or someone in that moment, ever again. To relieve the fear, I draft goodbyes and last words in my head to possibly ensure the last moment has the perfect ending. "That didn’t happen, of course. Things never happen the way I imagine them". With constant practice in the "imperfect goodbyes" department I have become perfectly polished in saying the wrong things and wishing I had done something different. One day I opened the pages to a character I could relate to in ways I thought weren't even relatable, “It always shocked me when I realized that I wasn’t the only person in the world who thought and felt such strange and awful things.”  Miles Halter, from "Looking For Alaska" was the slightly more obnoxious, but less depressing version of myself but more importantly, his conquest for the perfectly beautiful last words, and I figured if he knew a lot about last words, I could get a few tips from him to help me improve me.  
        Soon after page one became a hundred and one, and Miles had fallen for the confident hot mess that was Alaska, I realized my flaws and vices had come to life in these characters and every doubt I had ever had about growing up had been illuminated through these characters. "When adults say, "teenagers think they are invincible" they don't know how right they are. We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken." It was true, every person that has ever used, hurt, or wronged me, I forgave and forgot. I am the person to beats myself up the most, and I have always forgiven myself.  Miles had the courage to say everything I buried away and ignored because I was too scared for the outcome " At some point you just have to pull off the bandaid, and it hurts, but then it's over and you are relieved."
       If my life was a book, I would be Miles Halter  #2, minus to the ditching class, drinking, and smoking pot. I always tried to please and impress everyone without even wondering if I was proud of myself and I was stuck in my "own labyrinth of suffering." He was the more fearless, impressive version of me that I had always wanted to be and I felt like I could be, as long as I stayed in the four corner pages of his world. "At some point we look up and realize we are all lost in a maze." I was so dedicated and fixated on impressing people with my perfect moments, because I was too scared to just live the moment placed right in front of me. And I lost out on some really great times. "Entropy increases. Things fall apart." I thought Miles was my teacher and I was going to find the perfect words through his own, but really the things that stood out to me about Miles, I already knew about myself. 
         I strived so far for the perfect words to say to someone. But when the ending of Miles's story came around, I finally began to understand that the perfect moment doesn't come in the words, the  perfect words come in the moment. His life didn't go the way he imagined it, he lost someone very important to him and he didn't get any last or perfect words with them either. But he had something better, he had all the words in between, and in losses, no one is going to remember how you felt or what you said in the last couple seconds. You can't be scared of the endings just because they may not be perfect, "scared isn't a good excuse. Scared is just an excuse everyone has always used." And although I still poke and prod my brain for the right words, I have come to accept the fact that they can't possible account for all the right, good, great words I said without even thinking twice. Miles Halter's last words were, "Thomas Edison's last words were," It's very beautiful over there". I don't know where these is, but I hope it's beautiful." I'm no longer in search for the perfect endings, just enjoying the middle because that's all you will have and even if it's time for last words and endings. So  I'm not going to scrounge my mind for the perfect words, maybe, I don't even have them yet, but one day, it would be nice to end beautifully. 

Passive v.s Active

Finally, she made it, she could feel it on her face, in her smile, coursing from the corner of her lips to the edge of her cheeks. 

When she closed her eyes and for the first time, she felt relief and serenity replaced by worn out feelings of stress. Even when her hair blew in front of her face, she never felt the urge to brush it out of face, like she did before. Finally, she made it, her muscles would no longer be pushed to the limit for seven extra hours, her eyelids would never feel extra heavy early in the morning, and she would no longer have restless nights dreaming because her dream had come true. All the tedious rehearsals and the "one more times" had amounted to something. She had gotten the lead, and she could feel her pride everywhere. 

Tired, hungry, lost, and cold. The little prince had been released by his captures but was only freed in the dark woods, where not even the bravest knights dared to go. He could feel the soles of his shoes wearing down and the wind picking up, making his jacket feel thinner and thinner. Every left turn he made, felt like he was just making another circle. The little prince could feel the woods defeating him. And just as his adrift feelings were overpowering him, he heard a rustle in the leafs, a tree branch snap, and lips licking. A monster? Coming to hide the evidence that I was ever here? The little prince closed his eyes, hoping the monster would disappear but he when he opened his eyes when he felt a warm breath on his face. There in front of him sat a mighty steed. But it wasn't a horse, it had fur and rested like his hunting animals back at the castle. He reached out to stop the air hitting his face and when his eyesight met his newfound friend's, he knew the woods would not be his home for much longer. 

College Application Prompts

1. Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence. 

2. Should books portray the world as it is or as it should be?

3.  Chicago author Nelson Algren said, "A writer does well if in his whole life he can tell the story of one street." Chicagoans, but not just Chicagoans, have always found something instructive, and pleasing, and profound in the stories of their block, of Main Street, of Highway 61, of a farm lane, of the Celestial Highway. Tell us the story of a street, path, road—real or imagined or metaphorical.

4.  How do you feel about Wednesday?

5.  ____ is the new ____. What’s in, what’s out, and why is it being replaced?

College, College, College

1. University of British Columbia, Vancouver Canada
              I really like this school because of the location, it is on a peninsula right by the water, and 30 minutes outside of the heart of Vancouver. I'm really interested in the courses they offer and think it will teach me a lot there because they have a well known film, stage, and direction program. A pro of me attending this college is that I am Canadian, so tuition is less than 10,000 dollars per semester and I will get to learn a lot about where my mom grew up and have snow.

2. Toronto Film School
        Again, I am really set on going to a school in Canada just because I like the setting and want to learn about my history. Toronto film school is the best film school in Canada and it isn't my first choice as far as campus location (UBC) has a much nicer campus but it is still relatively cheap compared to American film schools and it offers a lot of different courses under film, such as acting and directing. That way I can explore my options more.

3.  University of Maryland
       I really like the campus in Maryland and the weather. I spent a few summers and Christmases there since my grandparents live there. It is a good school will a fair tuition and I can visit my grandparents a lot more often that I do now.  I also really like the campus life and how everyone meets a lot of people and that they have an ok football team. Finally, it has a new film program and renowned theater program, which is what really excites me about this school.

4.  University of Washington
      The campus is so pretty, from the trees, to the the building's architecture, to the kids stretched out on the grass, I think I would love that atmosphere. I am moving there in the summer and I think I would really like Washington and if I do, I might want to stay there longer for more than the two years I will definitely be there to finish high school. It also has a good sports department and courses that I would am really interested in. Finally I really like the campus life, very sociable and modern.

5. University of Texas at Austin
          I have always considered Texas to be one of my homes. Even though I left before I even turned ten,  some of the greatest memories were made in Texas. My dad is currently a Texas resident as well so the tuition for me to attend would be 12,000 dollars less as far as my major. I also really like the campus and they have a good football team, and some of my best high school memories so far, were hanging out at football games with my friends.

Graphic Card Draft 1

The Show Must Go On Final Draft

 “Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away!” If I had any understanding of that Shakespearean line before I entered high school, I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t be quite the same today. Performing had always come easy to me, I was a smug preteen who thought I had already won and Oscar. But besides the sophomoric way I acted offstage, on stage, I felt free, constant surges of adrenaline, and overall love for, every second, every moment, every line, everything. I never thought it was possible to love something so much and came with so much ease. Then high school hit, I was sure I was going to sing, dance, and perform my way through it. And whoever said something as simple as a email couldn't change your life was mistaken. I got one from one of my prior directors asking to cast me as Titania, queen of the fairies in Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Night’s Dream". How glamorous, I thought, taking the role without hesitation. Like most things in my life thus far, I assumed the show would be smooth sailing, I was over-confident and oblivious to the challenges I would soon face. Little did I know, Shakespeare was about to teach me a lot more than “Fairies, away!”

I walked into the drama room my heart beating 1,000 times per minute, but not with fear, but agreeable anxiousness, something I always felt before a show. I walked in and listened, “How happy some o'er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she...” Helena kept reciting her monologue and then more characters joined in and as if in unison the Shakespearean language they were reciting morphed into whispers of second guessing and fear. They were all so good, and they all wanted to perform just as badly as I did. No longer could I blame anxiousness for my racing heart, I could only blame anxiety. By the time rehearsal ended, I already made up in my mind that this show wasn’t right for me. When I told my mom, she replied, “They are depending on you, the show must go on”. The show must go on, no matter how hard I thought it was or how many Queen Titania’s that Midsummer Night had already lost, the show must go on. And so it did.

Thankfully, those 5 words paved one of the best decisions of my life, to learn words like enamored, and canker blossom, I learned more important words such as appreciation, dependability, confidence, and determination. Along with learning my lines, I was learning that things don’t come as easy as I originally believed. You have to work really hard for the things you want. Everyone in the cast depended on  me, on each other, we were all pulling each other  to the end of the finish line and if one of us stopped moving, then we would never make it. Even though things were harder, it made me want it to get my character down more than any other character I had played before and I finally broke out of my shell.  

There are pros to doing the scariest thing you have ever done in your life. I got more excited about doing things at school, joining in more things, appreciating the little things like “good work” instead of ignoring everything but a standing ovation. And incomparable of all, I met the best friends I have ever had. You know in some small way you have made it when you are doing the thing you love and you look to your left and right, and can’t imagine doing it with anyone else. That isn’t hard work paying off, just a true blessing. A Midsummer Night’s Dream will most definitely be a highlight of my high school career because without it, I would still be the same spoiled pre-adolescent whippersnapper who thought everything in life comes easy. Thank you to everyone, especially my mom and director who helped me finally see that even when things seem too difficult, all seems lost, and you want to give up, the show must go on.  

Concrete Paragraphs

The 99th annual hunger games, Katniss Everdeen had lost the rebellion and President Snow retaliated against the districts with brutality. He rigged the reaping so that over a span of 24 years, the nation had lost all the members of One Direction, Hunter Hayes, and worst of all, Justin Bieber. The girls didn't know what they would do if they lost another heartthrob and the hands of the capital. The only fate that seemed appropriate was if they got chosen the same year as Shawn Mendes or Jake Gyllenhaal so they would get to meet them. Now, the reaping was about to start, Effie Trinket stepped up and announced the tribute, "Nick Jonas!" "Yep it's official", sobbed one girl pushing the hair behind her ears, "Trinket is going in my burn book".

Grandma was off her hinges, her son decided to take a career as an air guitarist and her sister still believed you sallow seven spiders in your sleep. Therefore she demanded someone watch her will she slept to make sure no spiders crawled in. On the death bed of her husband, his final words were, "I hid the money-" then he flatlined, her dog had ran away and her fish had flipped upside down the same day. So during the annual family reunion, when her granddaughter told her she wasn't going to college because she was going to follow her dad to Las Vegas to pursue an air guitar career, grandma had to convince her not to go.

He embraced his family, for the first time in almost one year, he felt his daughters arms wrapped around his chest, the kiss his wife and the soft grass that he tended to every Saturday morning. He was always willing and proud to go fight for his country, but the thought of leaving his family always mad him uneasy about his job. Nonetheless, he hugged them tighter and tighter each second and really believed he could stay in he moment forever, it was a prefect moment. The only thing left on his mind as he started aimlessly at the ground, was wonderment, for he had just farted and questioned if they could smell it. 

The Show Must Go On

        “Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away!” If I had any understanding of that Shakespearean line before I entered high school, I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t be quite the same today. Performing had always come easy to me, like a cheetah runs or a bird flies with a little practice it all came naturally. On stage, I felt free, surges of adrenaline, and overall love for everything, every second, every moment, every line. I never thought it was possible to love something so much and came with so much ease. Then high school hit, I was sure I was going to sing, dance, and perform my way through it. And whoever said something as simple as a  email couldn't change your life was mistaken. I got one from my old director asking to cast me as Titania, queen of the fairies in Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Night’s Dream". How glamorous, I thought, taking the role without hesitation. Like most things in my life thus far, I assumed the show would be smooth sailing. Little did I know, Shakespeare was about to teach me a lot more than “Fairies, away!”

I walked into the drama room my heart beating 1,000 times per minute, but not with fear, but agreeable anxiousness, something I always felt before a show. I walked in and listened, “How happy some o'er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she...” Helena kept reciting her monologue and then more characters joined in and as if in unison the Shakespearean language they were reciting morphed into whispers of second guessing and fear. They were all so good, and they all wanted to perform just as badly as I did. No longer could I blame anxiousness for my racing heart, I could only blame anxiety. By the time rehearsal ended, I already made up in my mind that this show wasn’t right for me. When I told my mom, she replied, “They are depending on you, the show must go on”. The show must go on, no matter how hard I thought it was or how many Queen Titania’s that Midsummer Night had already lost, the show must go on. And so it did.

Thankfully, those 5 words paved one of the best decisions of my life, to learn words like enamored, and canker blossom, I learned more important words such as appreciation, dependability, confidence, and determination. Along with learning my lines, I was learning that things don’t come as easy as I originally believed. You have to work really hard for the things you want. Everyone in the cast depended on  me, on each other, we were all pulling each other  to the end of the finish line and if one of us stopped moving, then we would never make it. Even though things were harder, it made me want it to get my character down more than any other character I had played before and I finally broke out of my shell.  

There are pros to doing the scariest thing you have ever done in your life. I got more excited about doing things at school, joining in more things, appreciating the little things like “good work” instead of ignoring everything but a standing ovation. And incomparable of all, I met the best friends I have ever had. You know in some small way you have made it when you are doing the thing you love and you look to your left and right, and can’t imagine doing it with anyone else. That isn’t hard work paying off, just a true blessing. A Midsummer Night’s Dream will most definitely be a highlight of my high school career because without it, I would still be the same spoiled pre-adolescent whippersnapper who thought everything in life comes easy. Thank you to everyone, especially my mom and director who helped me finally see that even when things seem too difficult, all seems lost, and you want to give up, the show must go on.  

Money Where Your Mouth Is

Jordan Greene

Honolulu, Hawaii  

98-885 Ainanui Loop

Teen Vogue Magazine

4 Times Square

9th Floor

New York, New York 10036

To the Writers, Editors, and Publishers of Teen Vogue Magazine,

I am just one of the millions of customers that enjoy reading Teen Vogue for fashion tips, relationship advice, boy bands to obsess over, and the plentiful coupons embedded in the pages of your magazines (those are greatly appreciated). I have been subscribed to your magazine ever since I started high school and I truly look forward to getting one in the mail every month. However, there is one thing that makes a little uneasy about continuously paying money for your magazine. I realize that the ads in your magazine provide money and profit for your business. Even still, your advertising pages have increased by a significant 8.3% and although the ads are pleasing to the eye, the impact it has on your readers, can be demeaning and cause self consciousness. 70% of teen girls are strongly influenced by what they believe is the ideal body type and most of your ads feature skinny, flawless models. I understand you can’t dictate the subjects that products such as Gap or Abercrombie and Fitch are printing, advertising, and promoting. However when Teen Vogue then prints those images in the magazine, I believe you too are promoting the idea that every successful girl is skinny and flawless. On the other hand, if ads were printed were models with diverse and unique body types were featured, I would believe that Teen Vogue promotes and different body types positively. I also understand that your magazine has articles that encourage loving your body and being happy with your size. Yet, they are only every few issues, where the thin and picture-perfect models can be found in roughly 17% of your magazine. As a film student I also know that glittering generalities is a very popular advertising technique amongst large businesses, especially for makeup and clothing ads. Even still, beauty comes in more forms than just physical attributes, such as how much you weigh. That should absolutely be highlighted to every girl reading.

From personal experience, of one of my closest friends suffering from body images and eating disorders in the past, I feel very strongly about the content in magazines and feel a sense of worry and protectiveness whenever she sees an ad and replies with “I wish I looked like them.”  And with my younger sister approaching teen years in no time, I would like for her to enjoy reading Teen Vogue without worrying about what size she is or if her looks are good enough.

I hope my suggestions are taken into consideration and they did not cause offense to an outstanding company like yourselves. I enjoy reading your magazines, my only objection would be to add diversity to the ads your magazine prints in order to advocate self- love because every girl reading, should feel comfortable and perfect in their own skin.

Sincerely,

Jordan Greene

Lights! Camera! Dissatisfaction? Citations

                                                    Work Cited

 "Famous Self-Harmers". Self-Injury.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 August, 2015.

"One In 12 Teens Commit Self- Harm". NewsComau. N.p. 17 Nov. 2011. Web.
               14 August, 2015

Purington, Amanda, and Janis Whitlock. "Non-Suicidal Self-Injury In The Media.
            " Psycextra Data set (2010): n pag. Self Injury in the media. Cornell Research
               Program 2010.  Web. 12 Aug. 2015.

Sainer, Emine. "A New View of Self-Harm". The Guardian, 17 Oct. 2011. Web.
              12 Aug. 2015

Self-Injury And Eating Disorders". Eating Disorder Hope Rss. N.d. 3 Sept. 2012.
              Web. 10 August 20

 "Teen Health and the Media." Teen Health and the Media. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2015.

        "Teenagers Most Influenced by Celebrities." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. 

                     12 Aug. 2009. Web. 04 Sept. 2015.        
    

         "Top Reasons Why Teens Try Alcohol and Drugs - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids." 

                    Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2015.

Lights! Camera! Dissatisfaction? Final Draft

Lights! Camera! Dissatisfaction? For decades, the media presentation of an ideal body, personality, and habits has impacted the 99% of American families that have access to media representations in their home (Media and the Adolescent Mind).  This allows for susceptible teens to get sucked into the intoxicating sway of the media.  Recently, the media's portrayal of self- harm seems like cosmopolitan enterprise that has captured the interest of many teens. They are dissatisfied or despondent with themselves and therefore engage in pastimes that have been highlighted, especially in the media.  Today, 1 in 12 adolescents commit self- harm (Kelland, Kate), and with the numbers on the rise, there are many factors in society that impact teens to continue committing self- harm.  Due to the powerful influence of the media, media outlets have popularized self- harm and made it appear pleasurable and sophisticated through their actors, movies, and continuos portrayal of self- harm throughout the years.

Johnny Depp, Demi Lovato, and Christina Ricci, all renowned stars in the spotlight of the media. Although talented and seem to have the “fame and glory” career, all share a dark secret. This trio of celebrities all went through a dark period in their life and turned to self-harm as a release for the pain and emptiness they were feeling. When they “came out” with their self- harm stories, many adolescents were under the impression that self-harm was a starlit, coming of age pursuit.  “When I was angry about "not looking very good" I heated up a lighter and held it to my hand to impress some boys.” Lovato, shared her story through a media interview that received millions of views “On November 1, 2010, Demi entered inpatient treatment for what was said to be an eating disorder and self-injury, according to People.” Another interview that continues to highlight self- harm is the one with Johnny Depp, “In a Talk magazine interview he said, "It was really just whatever [times when he hurt himself]--good times, bad times, it didn't matter. There was no ceremony. It wasn't like 'Okay, this just happened, I have to go hack a piece of my flesh off...". Although teens have been presented with media sources that compel them to commit self- harm, many people say it is not celebrities but an adolescent’s peers that encourage self- harm. Confidently stating a teen is more likely to pick up on habits that their peers participate in, the celebrities don't have a direct interaction effect. Even though peers have a powerful influence on an adolescent, 77% of teens idolize a celebrity while only 28% of teens will give into peer pressure in their adolescent years. “Women's and girls' appearance is frequently commented on: 58 percent of female character's appearance in movies, as did 28 percent in television shows ” (Teen Health and The Media). Therefore, teens are clearly more impressionable by their celebrity role models than peers because of the media representations of perfection. 

Not only have celebrities impacted the choice of adolescents, but so have the movies they have acted in. Movies such as “Girl Interrupted” and  “Secret Cutting”  have emphasized self- harm, when the actors commit self- harm they act like they are enjoying it and it relieves them of their pain and stress they have in their life. The actors also keep their cutting a secret instead of seeking help which is very impressionable to teens. “I know what it's like to want to die. How it hurts to smile. How you try to fit in but you can't. How you hurt yourself on the outside to try to kill the thing on the inside.”  This quote from “Girl Interrupted, stresses the secrecy and powerful effect that self harm has, that if you don’t like yourself, cutting yourself will make that pain go away. A "study found that the amount of time an adolescent watches soaps, movies and music videos is associated with their degree of body dissatisfaction and desire to be thin" (Teen Health and Media). Although in movies we see teens cutting themselves, we also see teens with eating disorders. Eating disorders are the number one more prominent form of self harm and therefore many think that eating disorders have made self- harm more popular than the media because a lot of teens face bodily challenges even without the media. This may be true except the media has presented more than enough images of what the “perfect body” should look like through models and even through movies. Studies show that before teens commit self-harm, more than half of them search the Internet for how to do cut "safely". Their main source? The media, "girls and boys told researchers they were dissatisfied with their own bodies after watching a music video by Britney Spears or a clip from the TV show "Friends" (Teen Health and Media). Since 1 in 4 teens believe in order to be popular of liked they have to be one of the characters in a TV show (Teens Most Influenced by Celebrities), they commit self- harm to escape for the pressure the media imposes on them. 

Ultimately, due to all of the impressionable celebrities and powerful films addressing self harm and making it seem sophisticated teens have taken apart in this dangerous activity. However there wasn’t always such a vast variety of self- harm presented in the media, “Since 1980, references to self-injury have dramatically increased in media venues. The amount of self-injury related content in music, film and news media has skyrocketed and continues to follow a clear upward trend.” (The Media and Self-Harm). In the 1990s, self- harm in the media was very rare but over a 5 year span in the 21st century, there were 1,750 cases of self injury being portrayed in the media. The “media plays a very important role in spreading ideas about behavior and normalizing unusual or rare behaviors.” Most teens will pick up habits and ideas they see through the media. These are ideas are spread through an idea called social contagion in which ideas and or behaviors can spread through a population unintentionally just like a disease or illness. Therefore, a teen that admires or feels a personal connection to the character in a film, usually would be very susceptible to copy the characters conduct, “...media glamorization of suicide, violence, and other unhealthy behaviors are particularly dangerous for vulnerable teens.”  Although there are many other contributors to self harm such as illicit drug use which 27.2% of teens are involved with. They stick themselves with dirty needles, and sniff dangerous substances just to get high. However, many teens have tried drugs for the first time because they’ve seen it in the movies, "Forty-seven percent of teens agreed that movies and TV shows make drugs seem like an OK thing to do" ( Top 8 Reasons why Teens Try Alcohol and Drugs). All in all, any form of self- harm can be traced back to a media source being responsible for an adolescents dangerous actions.

Whether a teen wants to fit in, they are depressed, or have trouble in life, they find their escape through self- harm to feel a powerful relief or escape from the outside world. These ideas grown in the young minds of impressionable teens have been planted by the powerful influence of media through movies and celebrities and left a harmful effect on the teens. In the long run, almost all victims of self harm have permanent self esteem issues that can prevent them from adapting to new situations, their communication skills, and forming healthy relationships. Each day the impact of the media is getting stronger and more suggestible adolescents will fall victim to the threatening behaviors the media can portray. Therefore, producers and directors should not only consider how far they would go to fashion an engaging movie and ponder the effect these films will have on possible viewers.  Just like you should think before you say, you should think before you let something dangerously powerful loose that has such a powerful effect.

Lights! Camera! Dissatisfaction?

Lights! Camera! Dissatisfaction? For decades, the media such as movies, music, and print news have been presenting an ideal body, personality, and habits.  This allows for susceptible teens to get sucked into the intoxicating sway of the media.  Recently, the media has presented self- harm as a cosmopolitan enterprise that has captured the interest of many teens. They are dissatisfied or despondent with themselves and therefore engage in pastimes that have been highlighted, especially in the media.  Today, between 15 and 25% of adolescents commit self- injury, and with the numbers on the rise, there are many factors in society that impact teens to commit self- injury.  Due to the powerful influence of the media, actors and movie producers have popularized self- harm and made it appear pleasurable and sophisticated which motivates teens to engage in those activities which in the long run will present adolescents with ineffective communication skills, negative relationships, and poor adaptation capabilities.

Johnny Depp, Demi Lovato, and Christina Ricci, all renowned people in the spotlight of the media. Although talented and seem to have the “fame and glory” career, all share a dark secret. This trio of celebrities all went through a dark period in their life and turned to self harm as a release for the pain and emptiness they were feeling. When they “came out” with their self- harm stories, many adolescents were under the impression that self-harm was a starlit, coming of age pursuit.  “When I was angry about "not looking very good" I heated up a lighter and held it to my hand to impress some boys.” Lovato, shared her story through a media interview that received millions of views “On November 1, 2010, Demi entered inpatient treatment for what was said to be an eating disorder and self-injury, according to People.” Another interview that continues to highlight self- harm is the one with Johnny Depp, “In a Talk magazine interview he said, "It was really just whatever [times when he hurt himself]--good times, bad times, it didn't matter. There was no ceremony. It wasn't like 'Okay, this just happened, I have to go hack a piece of my flesh off...". Although teens have been presented with media sources that compel them to commit self- harm, many people say it is not celebrities but an adolescent’s peers that encourage self- harm. Confidently stating a teen is more likely to pick up on habits that their peers participate in, celebrities don't have a direct interaction effect. Even though peers have a powerful influence on an adolescent, 77% of teens idolize a celebrity while only 28% of teens will give into peer pressure in their adolescent years. “People frequently copy the behaviors of their favorite celebrities, researchers found a 12% increase in suicide rates after Marilyn Monroe’s death in 1962”. Therefore, teens are clearly more impressionable by their celebrity role models than peers. 
Not only have celebrities impacted the choice of adolescents, but so have the movies they have acted in. Movies such as “Girl Interrupted” and  “Secret Cutting”  have emphasized self- harm, when the actors commit self- harm they act like they are enjoying it and it relieve them of their pain and stress they have in their life. The actors also keep their cutting a secret instead of seeking help which is very impressionable to teens. “I know what it's like to want to die. How it hurts to smile. How you try to fit in but you can't. How you hurt yourself on the outside to try to kill the thing on the inside.”  This quote from “Girl Interrupted, stresses the secrecy and powerful effect that self harm has, that if you don’t like yourself, cutting yourself will make that pain go away. 75% of girls and 40% of boys face self image issues in their high school years. Although in movies we see teens cutting themselves, we also see teens with eating disorders. Eating disorders are the number one more prominent form of self harm and therefore many think that eating disorders have made self- harm more popular than the media because a lot of teens face bodily challenges even without the media. This may be true except the media has presented more than enough images of what the “perfect body” should look like through models and even through movies. Studies show that before more than half of that teens commit self-harm, search the Internet for how to do it Their main source? The media.

Ultimately, due to all of the impressionable celebrities and powerful films addressing self harm and making it seem sophisticated teens have taken apart in this dangerous activity. However there wasn’t always such a vast variety of self- harm presented in the media, “Since 1980, references to self-injury have dramatically increased in media venues. The amount of self-injury related content in music, film and news media has skyrocketed and continues to follow a clear upward trend.” The 1990s, self- harm in the media was very rare but over a 5 year span in the 21st century there were 1,750 cases of self injury being portrayed in the media. The “media plays a very important role in spreading ideas about behavior and normalizing unusual or rare behaviors.” Most teens will pick up habits and ideas they see through the media. These are ideas are spread through an idea called social contagion in which ideas and or behaviors can spread through a population unintentionally just like a disease or illness. Therefore, a teen that admires or feels a personal connection to the character in a film, usually could people very susceptible to copy the characters conduct, “...media glamorization of suicide, violence, and other unhealthy behaviors particularly dangerous for vulnerable teens.”  Although there are many other contributors to self harm such as illicit drug use which 27.2% of teens are involved with. They still themselves with dirty needles, and sniff dangerous substances just to get high. However, many teens have tried drugs for the first time because they’ve seen it in the movies and how characters fit into a social group because they tried drugs for the first time. All in all, any form of self- harm can be traced back to a media source being responsible for an adolescents dangerous actions.

Whether a teen wants to fit in, they are depressed, or have trouble in life, they find their escape through self- harm to feel a powerful relief or escape from the outside world. These ideas grown in the young minds of impressionable teens have been planted by the powerful influence of media through movies and celebrities and left a harmful effect on the teens. In the long run, almost all victims of self harm have permanent self esteem issues that can prevent them from adapting to new situations, their communication skills, and forming healthy relationships. Each day the impact of the media is getting stronger and more suggestible adolescents will fall victim to the threatening behaviors the media can portray. Therefore, producers and directors should not only consider how far they would go to fashion an engaging movie and ponder the effect these films will have on possible viewers.  Just like you should think before you say, you should think before you let something dangerously powerful loose.

Portfolio: Redeeming Writing

Invitation to portfolio: http://jordangreene45.wix.com/jng-english
After you are done viewing the portfolio, kindly answer the following question; What did you learn about my achievements and experiences in MeneMAC this past year?

From the Earth, For the Earth: Solar City

Rules:
1. Everyone is Equal, each job is just as important as the other to have a functional society.
2. Our Earth is divided into two sections, the Innovative Region and the Elemental Region. The Elemental Region takes care of the land and the Innovative Region provides technology.
3. You can cross between regions until you are 18, when you turn 18, you have to choose a job on one of the regions and then you are prohibited to cross.
4. Once you are 24, you may marry. After that, you are permitted to a family of four, a boy and a girl where you can choose the desired genes for them if you wish too. If you lose a child to natural causes, you may have another, your family may only consist of 4 at one time.
5. Your children will take schooling on the opposite side in which they were born in order to ensure that they understand both regions well for when they turn 18 and want to choose a job.
6. Every job in the society must benefit or make the Earth better, if you choose a job (which ever one you want) and then decide that you are not happy with it and wish to embark on a new one, you must go to the Council and explain how your new job will benefit the Earth.
7. The Council consists of 14 people, 7 from the Elemental Region and 7 from the Innovative Region. Any proposals must be passed by at least 3/4 of the Council.
8. Any rules that the Council does pass or regulate will be left for the people of the Region to decide based on their values of the Earth or Technology and what will be best for their Region.
9. If any rules are broken such as having more children than permitted, or crossing the Great Gate without consent will result in Corrective Detention and therapy on how to better yourself to become a more functional and beneficial member of society.
10. Each day during work, you will be given a task list that will benefit the Earth and once you are done your task list, you can go home, not before. Each task is highly essential for the betterment of Solar City.


DOs and DON'Ts
1. Allowed to choose whatever job you want
2. Elemental world is for the eco friendly side, where you farm and take care of the land.

1. Not allowed to have more than 2 kids, over population has been proven to risk the health of the earth
2.  Nothing on the Innovative side can be built if it is harmful to the Earth.

Merchant Of Venice Final

When lost, most of us look to a companion for guidance and strength through the rough patches in life, and when your resilience fails, someone else's will prosper. This two way street keeps people going in the roughest of times. In "The Merchant of Venice" written by William Shakespeare, Antonio found himself isolated from the rest of the world and couldn't put his finger on what brought about his sadness. Shortly after his pondered sadness, he found Bassanio, a man with a contemplated love for the lovely Portia and needed help to win her hand in marriage. And with that Antonio's void was filled he forgot about his lack of happiness for a moment and helped his friend conquer his despair. Despite all shortcomings in life, we will never not be able to offer love and friendship in a world of deals and trades. And that's what William Shakespeare wanted to portray through his words, that although some characters lacked money or fancy possessions they still offered friendship over everything. 
      One of the most significant character relationships in "The Merchant of Venice" that expressed the theme of love and friendship being the best gifts we can offer to the world is Antonio, a merchant in the city of Venice and Bassanio, a good friend to Antonio prior to the beginning of the book. In act one, Antonio could not describe nor define his discontent until he met with hid old friend Bassanio and discovered contentment in helping his friend win the hand of his true love. However, they made a deal with the vile and rude merchant Shylock who tricked Antonio into a devil's trade. In the end, Shylock planned to kill Antonio for his racism towards him and when Bassanio tried to intervene Antonio replied; "Give me your hand Bassanio, fare you well! Grieve not that I am fall'n to this for you; for herein Fortune shows herself more kind than is her custom...Commend me to your honorable wife, tell her the process of Antonio's end, Say how I loved you, speak me in fair death; and when the tale is told, bid her be jude whether Bassanio had not once a love." Antonio was ready to die just for the love and friendship of his friend, he didn't need money to bring him satisfaction just knowing his friend would be happy, and that he helped him return to that state of contentment was payment enough. Seeing Antonio gave a mile and Bassanio only an inch, he argued, "But life itself, my wife, and all the world, are not with me esteemed above thy life, I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all, Here to this devil to deliver you." Friendship can only be earned with love and not bought or traded and therefore even for all the ducats in the world, Bassanio's friendship with Antonio was still more valuable to him. 
      Another relationship that illuminates the gift of friendship and love is Lorenzo and Jessica. Jessica, the proud in spirit, but shamed to be the daughter of Jewish Shylock, left Shylcok for the  Christian Lorenzo, leaving everything behind (except for some stolen money) to embark on a trial of love that was worth more than her father's money that he provided her with. "Beshrew me but I love her heartily, for she is wise, if that mine eyes be true, and true she it, as she hath proved herself: and therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,  shall she be placed in my constant soul." Although Jessica dressed as a boy to escape, and was the daughter of a Jewish man, he loved her for what was inside and still gave her a chance to love her for that while most people might have just passed her by. In return Jessica returned love with love and the two lived a prosperous life of love and happiness; "In such a night did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well, stealing her soul with many vows of fait, and ne'er a true one." After trials and tribulations of the their love, they beat all the tests involving money, kin, and virtue, proving love was the greatest blessing they would earn from each other. 
      Every story must have the handsome man win the princess and the lovestruck Bassanio's quest for the beautiful yet secretly insecure Princess Portia. Portia confirmed that Bassanio's presence of love was the only thing that would help him pass the test and merit her love, that pretentious looks and unsentimental conversations would get him no where. "So may the outward shows be least themselves- the world is still deceived with ornament. In law, what plea so tainted or corrupt, But, be seasoned with a gracious voice, obscures the show of evil? In religion what damned error, but some sober brow will bless it, and approve it with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament?...Thy plainness moves me more than eloquence, and here choose I- joy be the consequence! He didn't Portia to have beautiful things or money, for him to love her, just the simplicity of her being her was perfect for him. Therefore, he chose the lead casket and opened it to find her picture, and her heart. However, sometimes the gift has to be tested and tested to be proven true, and although very true, Portia was insecure and the gift of Bassanio's love became less valuable than his one to Antonio or Jessica's to Lorenzo. The gift of love or friendship shouldn't have to be tested to be proven true but evident day by random acts of kindness such as Antonio's deal with Shylock. 
       Life is a plane ride full of turbulence and many of us along the way can't find a way to make the shaking stop, like Shylock who was filled with revenge and greed that drove him to a life of solitude because he couldn't find it in his heart to offer friendship instead of vengeance. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the world handed Antonio what he put out in the world, acceptance, friendship, love and dedication and in return his sadness diminished from sight. Sometimes no matter how cliche it sounds, the best gifts in life are not tangible or visible but felt with the heart and "The Merchant of Venice" portrayed that very well by highlighting that the gift of friendship was far more valuable than the ducats or pound of flesh. Sometimes in life, when we can't think of anything we have, the best thing to always have a guarantee of is a friend, and I would love to have a friendship as powerful as Bassanio's and Antonio's. 

The Merchant Of Venice Theme Essay

          When lost, most of us look to a companion for guidance and strength through the rough patches in life, and when your resilience fails, someone else's will prosper. This two way street keeps people going in the roughest of times. In "The Merchant of Venice" written by William Shakespeare, Antonio found himself isolated from the rest of the world and couldn't put his finger on what brought about his sadness. Shortly after his pondered sadness, he found Bassanio, a man with a contemplated love for the lovely Portia and needed help to win her hand in marriage. And with that Antonio's void was filled he forgot about his lack of happiness for a moment and helped his friend conquer his despair. Although some of us may have many talents, or money, or luck, to offer the world, the best thing we have to offer is love and friendship because those are the two benefactions that will never be deficit. Despite all shortcomings in life, we will never not be able to offer love and friendship to the world. 
      One of the most significant character relationships in "The Merchant of Venice" that expressed the theme of love and friendship being the best gifts we can offer to the world is Antonio and Bassanio. In act one, Antonio could not describe nor define his discontent until he met with Bassanio and discovered enjoyment and helping his friend achieve the hand of his true love. However, they made a deal with the vile and rude merchant Shylock who tricked Antonio into a devil's trade. In the end, Shylock planned to kill Antonio for his racism towards him and when Bassanio tried to intervene Antonio replied; "Give me your hand Bassanio, fare you well! Grieve not that I am fall'n to this for you; for herein Fortune shows herself more kind than is her custom...Commend me to your honorable wife, tell her the process of Antonio's end, Say how I loved you, speak me in fair death; and when the tale is told, bid her be jude whether Bassanio had not once a love." Antonio was ready to die just for the love and friendship of his friend, he didn't need money to bring him satisfaction just knowing his friend would be happy, and that he helped him return to that state of contentment was payment enough. Seeing Antonio gave a mile and Bassanio only an inch, he argued, "But life itself, my wife, and all the world, are not with me esteemed above thy life, I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all, Here to this devil to deliver you." Friendship can only be earned with love and not bought or traded and therefore even for all the ducats in the world, Bassanio's friendship with Antonio was still more valuable to him. 
      Another relationship that illuminates the gift of friendship and love is Lorenzo and Jessica. Jessica, daughter of Jewish Shylock, left him for the Christian Lorenzo, leaving everything behind (except for some stolen money) to embark on a trial of love that was worth more than her father's money that he provided her with. "Beshrew me but I love her heartily, for she is wise, if that mine eyes be true, and true she it, as she hath proved herself: and therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,  shall she be placed in my constant soul." Although Jessica dressed as a boy to escape, and was the daughter of a Jewish man, he loved her for what was inside and still gave her a chance to love her for that while most people might have just passed her by. In return Jessica returned love with love and the two lived a prosperous life of love and happiness; "In such a night did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well, stealing her soul with many vows of fait, and ne'er a true one." After trials and tribulations of the their love, they beat all the tests involving money, kin, and virtue, proving love was the greatest blessing they would earn from each other. 
      Every story must have the handsome man win the princess and Bassanio's quest for Portia's hand, confirmed that Bassanio's presence of love was the only thing that would help him pass the test and merit her love. "So may the outward shows be least themselves- the world is still deceived with ornament. In law, what plea so tainted or corrupt, But, be seasoned with a gracious voice, obscures the show of evil? In religion what damned error, but some sober brow will bless it, and approve it with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament?...Thy plainness moves me more than eloquence, and here choose I- joy be the consequence! He didn't Portia to have beautiful things or money, for him to love her, just the simplicity of her being her was perfect for him. Therefore, he chose the lead casket and opened it to find her picture, and her heart. However, sometimes the gift has to be tested and tested to be proven true, and although very true, Portia was insecure and the gift of Bassanio's love became less valuable than his one to Antonio or Jessica's to Lorenzo. The gift of love or friendship shouldn't have to be tested to be proven true but evident day by random acts of kindness such as Antonio's deal with Shylock. 
       Life is a plane ride full of turbulence and many of us along the way can't find a way to make the shaking stop, like Shylock who was filled with revenge and greed that drove him to a life of solitude because he couldn't find it in his heart to offer friendship instead of vengeance. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the world handed Antonio what he put out in the world, acceptance, friendship, love and dedication and in return his sadness diminished from sight. Sometimes no matter how cliche it sounds, the best gifts in life are not tangible or visible but felt with the heart and "The Merchant of Venice" portrayed that very well by highlighting that the gift of friendship was far more valuable than the ducats or pound of flesh. "The greatest gift in life is friendship and I have received it" ~Hubert H. Humphrey. 

Merchant of Venice Questions #2

1) Portia doesn't have the power to choose her own husband because her parents want her to marry someone with a good fortune and security because back then, they believed that wealth and power will bring you happiness. Portia is the exact opposite, she compared most of the suitors that came to her as sponges and unworthy of her and she doesn't want a man with wealth or prospects but a man with a good heart and personality.
2) Shylock is a Jew that is in trade with Antonio who is a Christian and therefore there is a lot of recast tension between them from the very instant the two encountered each other. Antonio and Bassanio meet up with Shylock to ask money from him in hopes that Bassanio would go "woo" Portia and although unsure, Shylock agreed to their proposition.
3) In every story, there is always a "but" or strings attached and in the story Shylock agreed to lend the 2 friends money BUT they had to return the money to him within a month or else Shylock would get a pound of his flesh from Antonio.
4) Shylock is so hesitant towards and Antonio because they don't like each other because of religious beliefs and how they affect each other's businesses. For example, Antonio would spread rumors about Shylock not having quality products because he is a Jew or vise versa and that caused a lot of tension between the two and Shylock didn't want to trust Antonio with his money.
5) I wouldn't trust Antonio, if he had been racist towards me I wouldn't want to lend him any favors and I wouldn't trust him with my money because if he didn't like me, why would he return my money to me?

The Merchant Of Venice Questions

1) The setting of the story is in Venice, maybe near a body of water because they talk about ship ports and trade throughout the first act.  The culture is very different because they talk about "wooing" the princess and needing money to attract her which isn't the natural norm of today's society. Also, borrowing money was frowned upon because there was no security of money.
2) Antonio worries abut never knowing what is bothering him and sort of focuses on other people's problems to avoid facing his own problems like when he agreed to help his friend Bassanio get his one true love Portia and he needed money so it distracted Antonio from his depression and struggles.
3) Bassanio asks Antonio for money to help attract the attention of Portia which is the girl Bassanio has fallen for but he doesn't want to show up empty handed and therefore he needs a lot of money so he asks Antonio for a loan.
4) Portia seems very picky when choosing a husband because when Nerissa was reading the list of suitors she had rather rude comments about them and turned them all away. So when another servant came in and said more suitors had come to compete for the hand of Portia, she decided to give them a chance and say that she will choose one of the 5 men and turn away the other 4 who do not treat her like anything other than a person instead of a prize to be won.

Anticipation Guide: Merchant of Venice

Don’t rely on outward appearances when making judgments. 
I believe in the saying "don't judge a person by the cover", that you should get to know the person before you decide if they are a good "book". I often live by this because looks can be very deceiving sometimes the greatest looking people are the worst people to be around and vise vesra. I believe that relying on outward appearances is not only hurtful to a person but it could be a disadvantage to you, for you could miss out on a great friend.

Justice is always blind.
Justice isn't always blind, there are people in the world who are still discriminated upon for their religion, beliefs, and especially the color of their skin. In Ferguson Missouri, there were protesters after the death of an African American teen who was killed by a white officer and he was prosecuted for it. I think that they should have given the kid a fair chance at and equal trial but instead they sort of let the police off and that "justice" wasn't blind. 
A brotherly love between two friends can be just as strong as an intimate love between a man and a woman.
I think this is a true statement because "love is blind" like another quote in this section. Love can be as strong or as weak as you make it. My dad is best friends with his cousin Stanley and I don't think their love is any weaker than the love between him and my mom, it's just a different kind of love and though it can be taken the wrong way, one is not stronger than the other. 

You can break a promise as long as you have a good excuse
I think you can break a promise, honestly. If someone you care about was going to die or get hurt and you could avoid it, I would definitely take that  chance but the excuse would have to be really valid not "I didn't feel like it". There are always tests to find out who we really care about and what kind of character we are and if you are always finding excuses to break the promise then you obviously don't care about that person but if you really care about them and you can't keep the promise, their should be a good enough reason why.  

Love is blind.
Love is probably the one and only thing in the world that has always been blind since "day one". Love is a universal concept and although often hated upon, first because of interracial marriages, then gay marriages, the love itself has always never saw the man or woman or color of the skin but affections of the heart and what it boils down to at the end of the day, the people involved in the relationship, no one else.

Stereotypes are often right.
Sadly, stereotypes are often right not for each individual but one a large scale and I think now a days they are being proven wrong but they are highly "enforced" by the society "oh black people always to this", "white people always do this" and it sticks like glue, even on the backs of people who don't do those things. I think that because we plaster the stereotypes on each other, most of us just conform to them, or keep conforming to them because that's what everyone is doing and that's why they are often right. 

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is a good motto to live by.
I don't believe this is a good motto to live by because of my religion. Jesus turned the other cheek when he was slapped across the face and said "here slap the other'" just to show that no revenge will justify the wrong of two means. I think that if you have enough strength to not take the other eye or tooth than you have already lived with courage and love, values that taking the tooth or eye won't give you. 


Partner: Camryn Tabiolo

1.)   The play opens with Antonio, the merchant, admitting that he is sad, but not knowing why.  Think of times when you’ve been sad.  Have you always understood exactly why, or has your sadness sometimes seemed strange to you?  Explain.

JG: I have always understood my sadness, if I am sad, there is a definite reason behind it or if I can't think of one than the sadness seems to disapear and I can't remember why I was sad. One quote that really moves me is "that's the thing about pain, it demands to be felt" and I translated it as if you are in pain you gotta know why or else it will never run it's course (felt) and you can never escape it.
CT: 

2.)   In Shakespeare’s time, lending money for interest was called “usury” and was generally considered immoral.  How have attitudes changed since then?
JG: Attitudes have changed because nowadays we have better security over our money and we can keep track of it better if we lend some to our acquaintances unlike back then, if they just gave their money away, it would be gone forever in a blink of an eye. I think now it seems kind and thoughtful to help someone out with a giving them money because most people would only think about themselves and those instances and not want to let go of their money.

3.)   Think of the recent banking crisis and the state of today’s economy.  Do you think it’s all right to lend someone a large amount of money based on their word and reputation even though they may not have any concrete evidence of being able to pay you back?

JG: Not that it's recent but we just read Of Mice and Men and they were living in the time of the great depression where all the banks shut down and everyone lost their money and I think in those situations it's very risky to lend someone a lot of money when you can barely support yourself no matter how empathetic or generous you are, you shouldn't let yourself starve for the sake of others. 

4.)   This play includes romantic love stories and also ethnic and religious conflict.  How well do you expect these elements to blend?

JG: When has it ever blended well? There will ALWAYS be scenarios where no matter how much 2 people love each other someone else will come in and "break them apart" because of their skin color or their religious beliefs/beliefs, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Antony and Cleopatra, to the most random Look who's coming for dinner. I think their is always reason to try and keep people in love from being together but the one that should keep them together trumps all the ethic, religious reasons ever fathomed.